Review: Man's Search for Meaning, Victor E Frankel (June 2006, Beacon Press)
Posted: Tuesday, December 02, 2008
by Jeff Brown
Inner Projection
"Frankl's timeless memoir and meditation on finding meaning in the midst of suffering with a new Foreword by Harold S. Kushner and a new Biographical Afterword by William J. Winslade Psychiatrist Viktor Frankl's memoir has riveted generations of readers with its descriptions of life in Nazi death camps and its lessons for spiritual survival" (Goodreads dot com).
This classic has been around for some time, selling some 12 million copies in the process. This new updated re-release is a testament to its selling power (June 14th 2006 (first published 2004) by Beacon Press).
But what makes it such a hot seller? Even though its title alludes to its content, it's more of a concentration camp testimonial / memoir and psychiatric exposition than philosophical pondering on man's search for meaning. However, even though this topic is not explored in quantity, the title's "search" is explored, but the real message may be glossed over if the reader is not observant. So let's get more into this profoundly important meaning of life that Frankel brings to the page, short in its quantity, yet heavy in its quality for the observant.
The title tells you what the significant point of this book is. It is when Frankl and other Jews caught in continuous horror and boundless misery find love. Yes, they find love. This is significant because it is only when one is deprived, when one runs up against extreme circumstance, when one is pushed to the brink does he or she fully appreciate and understand that which is most significant in life or what is most meaningful. And as one encounters these extremes, he or she finds great insight, wonder, miracles even, in the most bizarre and unusual light.
Frankl discovers in the concentration camps that those of great intellectual life, the reflectors, the thinkers, the meditaters even, are the ones who "survive camp life better." It is the "less hardy" who fair better than the "robust." What does this mean? Those who have prepared themselves emotionally, spiritually, are the ones who have the greater strength to deal with the utmost difficult times, not necessarily those who in easy times appear under control, the loud, the braggart, even the profane. The spirit protects while the flesh rots.
To continue, Frankl in thinking on his wife, sees love for the far greater thing that it is than one may ever see in settled, comfortable times. It is within this abject horror that Frankl is blessed with a vision of the significance of man and his purpose for being, for he states, "The truth--love is the ultimate and highest goal to which man can aspire." Later he states, "Then I grasped the meaning of the greatest secret that human poetry and human thought and belief have to impart: The salvation of man is through love and in love. I understood how a man who has nothing in this world still may know bliss, be it only for a brief moment, in the contemplation of his beloved. In a position of utter desolation, when man cannot express himself in positive acting, when his only achievement may consist in enduring his sufferings in the right way--an honorable way--in such a position man can, through loving contemplation of the image he carries of his beloved, achieve fulfillment. For the first time in my life I was able to understand the meaning of the words, 'The angels are lost in perpetual contemplation of an infinite glory.'"
The sanctity of the woman, marriage and its central importance to not only society but eternity is made whole and evident here. It is this sanctified nature of the human race of which the angels speak.
Love: when asked what the meaning of life is Mother Teresa said to love and be loved. When speaking to my wife the other night, she mentioned that "people come in hundreds," that at any point in time you can stop and say, "None of us will be alive 100 years from now." Putting that into perspective with the endless eons that have passed and will pass, the insignificance of our mortal lives beyond learning things eternal is shown pointless. Those whose greater focus is on monetary, material, social, political, or any temporal or transitory success is insignificant beyond measure in the face of what Frankl learns amongst the appallingly endless torment that in actuality only lasted an insignificant spit in the cosmic bucket of time. His great temporary suffering revealing pearls of wisdom, priceless even, vision of the third eye beyond the veil deep into the eternities.
But what makes it such a hot seller? Even though its title alludes to its content, it's more of a concentration camp testimonial / memoir and psychiatric exposition than philosophical pondering on man's search for meaning. However, even though this topic is not explored in quantity, the title's "search" is explored, but the real message may be glossed over if the reader is not observant. So let's get more into this profoundly important meaning of life that Frankel brings to the page, short in its quantity, yet heavy in its quality for the observant.
The title tells you what the significant point of this book is. It is when Frankl and other Jews caught in continuous horror and boundless misery find love. Yes, they find love. This is significant because it is only when one is deprived, when one runs up against extreme circumstance, when one is pushed to the brink does he or she fully appreciate and understand that which is most significant in life or what is most meaningful. And as one encounters these extremes, he or she finds great insight, wonder, miracles even, in the most bizarre and unusual light.
Frankl discovers in the concentration camps that those of great intellectual life, the reflectors, the thinkers, the meditaters even, are the ones who "survive camp life better." It is the "less hardy" who fair better than the "robust." What does this mean? Those who have prepared themselves emotionally, spiritually, are the ones who have the greater strength to deal with the utmost difficult times, not necessarily those who in easy times appear under control, the loud, the braggart, even the profane. The spirit protects while the flesh rots.
To continue, Frankl in thinking on his wife, sees love for the far greater thing that it is than one may ever see in settled, comfortable times. It is within this abject horror that Frankl is blessed with a vision of the significance of man and his purpose for being, for he states, "The truth--love is the ultimate and highest goal to which man can aspire." Later he states, "Then I grasped the meaning of the greatest secret that human poetry and human thought and belief have to impart: The salvation of man is through love and in love. I understood how a man who has nothing in this world still may know bliss, be it only for a brief moment, in the contemplation of his beloved. In a position of utter desolation, when man cannot express himself in positive acting, when his only achievement may consist in enduring his sufferings in the right way--an honorable way--in such a position man can, through loving contemplation of the image he carries of his beloved, achieve fulfillment. For the first time in my life I was able to understand the meaning of the words, 'The angels are lost in perpetual contemplation of an infinite glory.'"
The sanctity of the woman, marriage and its central importance to not only society but eternity is made whole and evident here. It is this sanctified nature of the human race of which the angels speak.
Love: when asked what the meaning of life is Mother Teresa said to love and be loved. When speaking to my wife the other night, she mentioned that "people come in hundreds," that at any point in time you can stop and say, "None of us will be alive 100 years from now." Putting that into perspective with the endless eons that have passed and will pass, the insignificance of our mortal lives beyond learning things eternal is shown pointless. Those whose greater focus is on monetary, material, social, political, or any temporal or transitory success is insignificant beyond measure in the face of what Frankl learns amongst the appallingly endless torment that in actuality only lasted an insignificant spit in the cosmic bucket of time. His great temporary suffering revealing pearls of wisdom, priceless even, vision of the third eye beyond the veil deep into the eternities.
Therefore, one must ponder how cursed he was, or was he blessed?
Where is there significance? When is it discovered? In our most harrowing moments; the real reason why we are here, for it is in these moments, and maybe only in these moments, that we learn best or learn things eternal: "I knew only one thing--which I learned well: Love goes very far beyond the physical person of the beloved. It finds its deepest meaning in his spiritual being, his inner self. Whether or not he is actually present, whether or not he is still alive at all, ceases somehow to be of importance" (Frankel).
It has only been in my hours of despair, amongst the suicidal depression, the endless days / months / years of hopelessness, the destructive anger, abject fear experienced through losing all my money and material items, confronting cancer and living with a bad heart, lungs, feat, and anus probably to the end of my life that has propelled me, blessed me, opened me up to the vision of the eternal love that resides in all of us, the great hope that bristles underneath the pointless pursuits of the world, and the love, love, love, waiting to bless us as we become obedient to the true purpose of existence. Love and the seeking of all that it entails.
Where is there significance? When is it discovered? In our most harrowing moments; the real reason why we are here, for it is in these moments, and maybe only in these moments, that we learn best or learn things eternal: "I knew only one thing--which I learned well: Love goes very far beyond the physical person of the beloved. It finds its deepest meaning in his spiritual being, his inner self. Whether or not he is actually present, whether or not he is still alive at all, ceases somehow to be of importance" (Frankel).
It has only been in my hours of despair, amongst the suicidal depression, the endless days / months / years of hopelessness, the destructive anger, abject fear experienced through losing all my money and material items, confronting cancer and living with a bad heart, lungs, feat, and anus probably to the end of my life that has propelled me, blessed me, opened me up to the vision of the eternal love that resides in all of us, the great hope that bristles underneath the pointless pursuits of the world, and the love, love, love, waiting to bless us as we become obedient to the true purpose of existence. Love and the seeking of all that it entails.
Herein lies the great message exposed oh, so briefly in Frankel's popular work, making one ponder, is it the greater content that has inspired so many to read or the brief treatment of things eternal, their implied greatness, and the importance of love that is touched upon so briefly yet because of its eternal import touches us so deeply?
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